Pingtung Academy Introduction
In 1815 (the 20th year of the Qing Jiaqing era), the magistrate of Xiaodanshui County, Wu Xingcheng, in order to revive local cultural and educational traditions, along with tribute student Guo Cui and Lin Mengyang, initiated the construction of Pingtung Academy (also known as the Confucius Temple). Although the academy has undergone several relocations and renovations, it still retains its original layout of lecture halls, shrines, and dormitories, showcasing the characteristics of traditional academies. It is a historical monument with deep roots in Pingtung and is the only academy building within Pingtung County. The Pingtung Academy was initially built in what is now Zhongshan Park, comprising 36 dormitories, with a front hall serving as a lecture hall, and a rear hall worshiping Wenchang Dijun, Chengzi, and Zhouzi, among others. In 1895 (the 21st year of the Guangxu era), the Pingtung Academy was converted into a Confucius Temple, primarily dedicated to Confucius, with Mencius, Yan Hui, Zengzi, and Zengzi's four great sages worshipped alongside Zhouzi, Zhuzi, Cheng Yi, Cheng Hao, and Zhangzi, five major Confucians. However, due to a lack of funds for repairs, the temple gradually fell into disrepair. In 1937, the Japanese rulers of Taiwan planned to relocate the Confucius Temple to another site, but in response to the appeals of Japanese scholars for preservation, it was dismantled and relocated to its current site on Shengli Road, replicating the original appearance of the academy. After the relocation, there was a long period during which the temple was not actively maintained, leading to further degradation. It was not until 1977, after the then Pingtung County magistrate invited the renowned architect Han Baode to oversee a restoration plan, that the Confucius Temple finally regained its former glory in 1979. Following the reconstruction, the courtyard area was expanded, linking the front and rear halls with pavilions, converting the central hall into the Dacheng Hall, and transforming the rear hall into the Chongsheng Shrine, along with a newly built single-slope corridor and a screen wall inscribed with "Nine Ren Palace Wall." Additionally, four stone tablets were retained to depict the history of the academy's construction. In 1985, Pingtung Academy was designated a national third-level historic site, representing valuable cultural significance and well-preserved historical heritage.
